Mushroom Production as an Alternative for Rural Development in a Forested Mountainous Area

Wild mushrooms are recognized as important non-wood forest products in mountainous ecosystems, but their real potential for generating rural economies has not been fully evaluated due to the difficulties in obtaining reliable productivity data, minimizing their true potential as contributor to rural economies. Mushroom yield models based on large data series from Pinus forest ecosystems in the region of Catalonia(Spain), combined with data from the Spanish National Forest Inventory allow us to estimate the potential mushroom productivity by forest ecosystems. The results of 24,500 tons/yr of mushrooms of which 16,300 tons are classified as edible and 7,900 tons are commonly marketed demonstrate the importance of mushroom productions in Catalonian pine forests, mostly located in mountainous areas where the development of agricultural activities is limited. Economic mushroom value is estimated at 48 million € for the edible mushroom and 32 million € for those corresponding to marketable yields, confirming the potential of this non-wood forest product. These production results and corresponding economic values provide a basis for the incorporation of wild mushrooms as significant non-wood forest products in the development of forest policies in mountainous areas.

Aggregate Development and Organic Matter Storage in Mediterranean Mountain Soils

Soil aggregation and organic matter of soils from the pre-Pyrenean range in Catalonia (NE Spain) were studied,in order to assess their quality as carbon sinks and also to select the best soil management practices to preserve their quality.Aggregate stability,organic carbon and micromorphology were investigated.The highest amount of organic carbon was found in alluvial,deep soils (228 Mg C ha -1 ),and the lowest was in a shallow,stony soil with a low plant cover (78 Mg C ha -1 ).Subsurface horizons of degraded soils under pastures were the ones with smaller and less-stable aggregates.Fresh residues of organic matter (OM) were found mostly in interaggregate spaces.Within the aggregates there were some organic remains that were beginning to decompose,and also impregnative nodules of amorphous OM.Although OM was evenly distributed among the aggregate fractions,the larger blocky peds had more specific surface,contained less decomposed OM and had a lower organic/mineral interphase than smaller crumb aggregates,which were also more stable.Soil carbon storage was affected primarily by the OM inputs in the surface horizons.In order to store organic carbon over the mid- and long-term periods,the mechanisms favouring structuration through biological activity and creating small aggregates with intrapedal stable microporosities seemed to be the most effective.